During the Covid-19 pandemic, many individuals developed new hobbies like cooking or baking. For husband and wife Caameron and Monica Nakasone, the pandemic was a catalyst for creating their own coffee beverages.
“When the Covid-19 pandemic hit and we couldn’t go out and visit a café, we took it upon ourselves to learn how to make a delicious brew at home,” Monica Nakasone says. “This sparked our passion for coffee and our admiration for the craft.
“Everyone either baked or did coffee (during the pandemic),” she adds. “We went down the coffee route and fell in love with the craftsmanship.”
Both born and raised in Hawaiʻi, the couple was living in Oregon at the time, as they both went to college at the University of Portland. They spent many weekends visiting specialty coffee shops, according to Nakasone.
“After we graduated from the University of Portland, we found ourselves living in Oregon for 12 years,” she says. “When Covid hit, we started researching how much craftsmanship really goes into specialty coffee, and how small variables could change the flavor. We started figuring out what we loved about coffee and what flavors brought us joy.”
When the Nakasones moved back to Oʻahu to be closer to family, they also decided to pursue their dream of opening up a coffee shop together. Their specialty coffee shop, called Third Space Coffee, is inspired by the Pacific Northwest, according to Nakasone.
“We take pride in sourcing our coffee beans and teas from Portland shops that we would frequent and found joy in visiting, and we are excited to share them with the community here in Hawaiʻi,” Nakasone says.
Third Space Coffee opened about two weeks ago; it’s located on the third floor of the 808 Center in a shared space with Cake M. The business’s logo features their dog, Kuro, with a cup of coffee, according to Nakasone, who says the café’s name stems from its goal to be a “third space” for the community.
“Our mission is to be a place to spend time that’s outside of work or home, where anyone can come in, enjoy a memorable cup of coffee, and return for the hospitality and warmth they felt from our shop,” she says. “Third Space is the culmination of our gratitude and appreciation for the communities that supported us, our experience living in the Pacific Northwest — a region known for its multitude of coffee roasters and coffee culture — and our passion for specialty coffee.”
The café offers a variety of coffees, teas and specialty beverages. The signature drinks are inspired by some of the couple’s favorite places and features about Oregon.
“They pay homage to where we first experienced a particular beverage,” Nakasone explains. “For example, The Bluff — an iced London Fog, topped with our marionberry cold foam — is a reference to the University of Portland, where we first had a London Fog. Some of our other popular drinks include the Cedar Hills — a brown sugar vanilla, honey and cinnamon latte — and Mount Hood, our cold brew topped with marionberry cold foam, and the St. John’s.”
The St. John’s is a brown sugar cardamom latte. All of the café’s syrups and cream cheese flavors are made in house, with the exception of the caramel sauce, according to Nakasone.
“I had never heard of a London Fog until we moved to the Mainland,” Nakasone says. “We try to incorporate some of our favorite flavors — like marionberry — from the Pacific Northwest.”
Teas include options like iced hibiscus punch tea, Rose City Genmaicha and Portland breakfast. The café also features bagels from Big Time Bagels, and housemade baked goods like chocolate chip cookies ($4.75) and Spam-cheddar and gochujang scone ($6).
“We are proud to share that all our baked goods — with the exception of our bagels — are made in house,” Nakasone says. “The scones are my husband’s recipe. The Everything bagel with our housemade pizza cream cheese ($8) is a fan favorite.”
Third Space Coffee is open from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays to Sundays (closed Mondays).
“We are a small team of two who find joy in crafting a cup of coffee and sharing our take on it with others,” Nakasone says. “This is our way of bringing some of the Pacific Northwest and some of our favorite things to Hawaiʻi.”
CONTACT
Third Space Coffee
808 Center
808 Sheridan St. third floor, Honolulu
thirdspacecoffeehawaii.com
Instagram: @thirdspacecoffeehawaii
Open 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays to Sundays
Closed Mondays
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Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
